Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Harlow
If you live in Harlow and need more room without moving, a kitchen extension with bedrooms above is worth a serious look. We handle the drawings, approvals, structure and build.
Harlow: the key facts for this kind of project.
- Postcode districts
- CM17, CM18, CM19 and CM20
- County / area
- Essex, England
- Price region
- East of England
- Guide price
- £57,500–£78,000 (£2,060–£2,780 per m²), kitchen units and worktops priced separately
- Approval route
- It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission.
- Nearest towns
- Hoddesdon (5.4 miles), Epping (5.4 miles), Broxbourne (6 miles)
- Distance to Southend-on-Sea
- about 30.7 miles
- First visit
- Free, no obligation
About a kitchen extension with bedrooms above
This service suits you if your kitchen is too small and you also need another bedroom. Building both floors at once costs less than a single-storey kitchen extension now and a first floor later. You get a layout that works for cooking, eating and the garden, a bedroom plan that works upstairs, the approvals your nation needs and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K. Kitchen units are priced separately.
We cover postcode districts CM17, CM18, CM19 and CM20 in and around Harlow, along with neighbouring Hoddesdon, Epping and Broxbourne.
What it costs in Harlow
For budgeting in Harlow, allow around £57,500–£78,000 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately) for a kitchen extension with bedrooms above with a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). That's based on £2,060–£2,780 per m² including VAT for the East of England. Design fees, structural calculations and approval fees are separate and listed on our prices page.
| Spec | Per m² | A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,900–£2,560 per m² | £53,000–£71,500 |
| Standard | £2,060–£2,780 per m² | £57,500–£78,000 |
| Premium | £2,470–£3,340 per m² | £69,000–£93,500 |
Planning and building regulations in Harlow
In England, a two-storey rear kitchen extension can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the rear wall of the original house and stays at least 7 m from the rear boundary, with matching materials and roof pitch, outside protected areas. No balconies are allowed. Deeper designs need planning permission, costing £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026).
Approval in England: Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). Councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation.
Building regulations: Building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end.
Design points for Harlow homes
Glazing and the Part L 25% rule
In England, new windows, roof lights and glazed doors in an extension are normally limited to 25% of the extension's floor area plus the area of any windows or doors removed. Larger glazing is possible, but needs SAP or compensating calculations, so we plan the rear doors around this from the start.
Services and drainage
Sinks, dishwashers and an upstairs bathroom all need waste routes to the drains, often near where the extension goes. We check the drains early and plan soil stacks, gas and electrical supplies so the kitchen layout is not limited later.
How we'd run your project
Start at your house
We come to your home in Harlow, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Harlow.
Technical design
We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then building control's final inspection and the completion paperwork.
Questions about kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Harlow
Which postcodes do you cover around Harlow?
We cover Harlow (CM17, CM18, CM19 and CM20) and nearby places including Hoddesdon, Epping and Broxbourne, plus the rest of Essex. The first site visit is free.
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Harlow?
Harlow is in England, so England planning rules apply. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.
Who handles building regulations for a project in Harlow?
We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in England: building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.
Is it cheaper to build a kitchen extension and bedrooms at the same time?
Yes, in most cases. Building both floors at once means one set of foundations, one roof, one scaffold and one set of approvals. Adding a first floor later means removing the original roof, possibly strengthening the foundations and disrupting the kitchen again. If you think you will need the bedroom, build it now.
Can I keep using my kitchen during the build?
For part of it. The new structure can be built while your existing kitchen stays in use, but when the rear wall is opened and the new kitchen is fitted there will be several weeks without one. We plan when this happens and help you set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house.
Nearby
We also cover places near Harlow, including:
Other extensions in Harlow
All two-storey extension services in Harlow · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across Essex
Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.